microwave

Pluralmicrowaves

Formsmicrowaves, microwaving, microwaved

1. 1
   nounabbreviationellipsis

   Short form of microwave oven.

   She reheated the coffee in the microwave before her meeting.

   The office microwave beeps loudly whenever someone uses it.

   Note

   A clipped compound in which the modifier does the work of the whole: microwave oven shortened to microwave, the appliance named for the energy it heats with. It is an ordinary countable noun with a regular plural and usually takes the definite article: put it in the microwave, the office microwave. Out of context, the plural microwaves could mean ovens or the waves themselves.

2. 2
   verbtransitive

   To cook or warm food by placing it in a microwave oven.

   Microwave the vegetables for three minutes to soften them.

   He microwaved a bowl of oatmeal before heading out the door.

   Similarnuke, zap

   Note

   A verb made directly from the oven noun, and it needs an object: you microwave the soup or microwave leftovers. Its forms are regular, and the final e drops before -ing (microwaving, microwaved). Recipes favor the bare imperative, as in "microwave for three minutes." In casual speech, nuke and zap stand in for it, and microcook is another equivalent.

3. 3
   nouncountable

   A wave of electromagnetic radiation falling in the part of the spectrum that lies between infrared light and the radio band.

   Engineers use microwaves to transmit data between distant relay stations.

   The microwave reflected off the metal surface and returned to the dish.

   Note

   The physical sense that lends its name to the kitchen: micro- plus wave, a wave short by the standards of radio. Engineers value its straight-line travel. Microwaves do not bend with the curvature of the earth, so relay dishes need clear line of sight from towers, tall buildings or high ground, as Modern Railways explained in August 1964. In technical writing the band may be called SHF.

4. 4
   verbslangtransitive

   To prepare something only minimally before putting it into use, treating thorough preparation as unnecessary.

   The startup microwaved its launch plan and dealt with the problems later.

   They microwave every project, shipping rough versions and fixing them on the fly.

   Similarrush, hurry

   Note

   Slang that borrows its picture from the kitchen verb: something microwaved is ready fast but never properly cooked through. It takes an object, so you microwave a plan, a launch or a rollout, and it implies that the shortcut was chosen, not stumbled into. Keep it for casual talk among colleagues. In formal writing, rushed or minimally prepared says the same thing without the joke.

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